Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2022
Subject: Pension revision
नरेन्द्र मोदी जी,
माननीय प्रधानमंत्री,
भारत सरकार,
नई दिल्ली
तथा
सभी आदरणीय कैबिनेट मंत्रीगण, भा. सरकार
आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री जी,
कुछ कहने की हम अनुमति चाहते हैं।
सवाल है, सरकार की चलेगी या नौकरों की? मा. वित्तमंत्री के कथन या सलाह की कोई अहमियत है या नहीं, सरकार ही तय करे? पिछले 14 महीनों से, मा. वित्तमंत्री के उठाए गये कदमों से आश्वस्त बैंक पेंशनर, अब निराश हो चला है। यह सरकार की कथनी और करनी से कतई मेल नहीं खाता, अतः 5 लाख से ज्यादा वरिष्ठ पेंशनर अब क्षुब्ध है।
और किसी के नहीं, बल्कि भारत सरकार के वित्तमंत्री के 10/11 दिन के अंतराल में बैंक पेंशन रिवीजन के एक मामले में दो बार व्यक्त किये विचारों को सुनते और नोट करते, बैंक पेंशनर्स खुशखबरी सुनने के लिए कान उटेरे और आंखे गड़ाये पिछले चौदह लंबे महीनों से प्रतीक्षा कर रहे हैं।
बैंक पेंशनरों ने वित्तमंत्री के कथन को भारत सरकार के कथन के रूप में लिया, क्योंकि वित्तमंत्री नें दोनों अवसरों पर अपने विचार भारत सरकार की वित्तमंत्री होने के नाते अपनी आधिकारिक क्षमता में व्यक्त किए थीं, न कि व्यक्तिगत श्रीमती निर्मला सीतारमण के रूप में।
सरकार के बयान न निराधार होते हैं और न गलत। वित्तमंत्री के किसी बयान पर इतने लंबे समय तक कार्यवाई न होना, सरकार की विश्वसनीयता पर सीधा सवाल खड़ा करता है। जानना अभी यह बाकी है कि ऐसी हिमाकत बैंकर्स, आईबीए, बैंकिंग सेक्रेटरी अपनी तरफ से कर रहे हैं या ऐसा वे यूनियनों के दबाव में कर रहे हैं या फिर वित्तमंत्री की मंशा, जिसकी संभावना शून्य भर है, बदल गयी है।
और, यदि यूनियनों के दबाव में ऐसी देरी हो रही है, तो माननीय वित्तमंत्री क्यों चुप रह कर सरकार की विश्वसनीयता पर प्रश्नचिन्ह खड़ा कर रहीं हैं? ये सवाल बिचलित करने वाले हैं।
हम आपका ध्यान, माननीय वित्तमंत्री ने कब और क्या कहा, की तरफ दोबारा आकृष्ट करना चाहते हैं:
1. 30.10.2020 बिजनेस लाइन
में छपा उनका साक्षात्कार:
"I cannot answer any question on Banking Sector without beginning it with a big thanks to all of them for the way which they sat with dedication.
"Today I had a meeting with newly appointed SBI Chairman Dinesh Kumar Khara. One of the questions that I asked he may or may not be directly involved into it, but as a bug brother among all the Banks, he should be talking to IBA to sort out issues related with Bank employees, their pension, family pension and pensions to those who retired long time ago whose pension does not commensurate with the pension of equal rank. So, that is something, I am putting all my energy to make sure. I am communicating with IBA. Secretary (Banking) is also working with them. I told Dinesh Khara that this is something, I am very keen, I want bank employees to ve given their dues. A lot of Pensioners are waiting for very long time.
"Yesterday I had meeting with Raj kiran Rao of IBA. I spoke to him too. We need bank employees to be attended too, particularly their families and the pension of retired employees too. Pension matter, staff welfare, these are the issues on which I am definitely concerned."
माननीय वित्तमंत्री कहती हैं, "इसे सुनिश्चित करने के लिए मैं अपनीं सारी शक्ति लगाए हूं। मैं आईबीए से बातचीत कर रही हूं। बैंकिंग सचिव भी उनके साथ काम कर रहे हैं।" उन्होने कहा, "पेंशन, स्टाफ कल्याण ये मुद्दे हैं जिन पर मैं निश्चित तौर पर चिंतित हू." ऐसा उन्होंने किसी मजबूरी या गन प्वाइंट पर नहीं कहा, बल्कि सोचसमझ कर विषयों की गंभीरता देखते हुए, उचित समझा, तब कहा।
इंटरव्यू के ठीक 10/11 दिन बाद आईबीए की सभा में भाषण देते माननीय वित्तमंत्री ने कहा, "सेवानिवृत्ति के बाद, सर, उन्हें भुलाया नहीं जा सकता, सेवानिवृत्ति के बाद उन्हें उनकी हाल पर नहीं छोड़ा जा सकता।" उन्होंने जोर देते हुए कहा, "मैं समझती हूं जितना आपका ग्राहक महत्वपूर्ण है उतना ही आपका पूर्वकर्मीं, जो अब अपने परिवार में जा चुका है। उनमें से हर एक ने, जब थे तो सर्वोत्तम किया है।" उन्होंने ने रक्षामंत्री के अपने अनुभव को सामने रखते कहा जिस तरह फौजियों और उनके परिवार को लेकर डिफेंस में कल्याण की संस्कृति है, 'वैसी ही संस्कृति मैं बैंकिंग में देखना चाहती हूं, ताकि सभी बैंक स्टाफ और उनका परिवार सेवा और सेवा के बाद एक तरह से रह सके। आपको उनके विषय में बात करना होगा और उनसे साझा करना होगा।"
2. 10.11.2029 FM's Key Note
Address in AGM of IBA:
"... one of them, after all is the very particular case, sir, being part off Banks. Post retirement, sir, they can't be forgotten, post retirement they can't be left to depend themselves. I think it is important, as much important is customer is your exstaff, who have retired, who have now gone be with their families. Each one of them, they did the best when they were there. I am sure many if you be retired therefore we can't be treating retired differently.
"As a former Defense Minister one... message which I would share with you... Defense personally they treat the defense families as that one. When men are on border their family is taken care, when retired they are taken care of them as one family always... ex-service or service. Similarly I wish to see that culture in Banks so that all bank staff and their families are one and they are in service or retired, you will have to.. talk of them & share for them."
सरकार के अधीनस्थों से इस तरह की उदासीनता अप्रत्याशित है। ऐसा होता नहीं। इसे अवमानना या दूसरे शब्दों में सरकार की इच्छा के विरुद्ध कार्यवाई कहा जा सकता है। माननीय वित्तमंत्री के दृष्टिकोण और उनकी सदईच्छा में हम कोई कमी नहीं पाते हैं। वे क्या करने का इरादा रखती है, यह स्पष्ट दिखता है।
नियमतः पेंशन संशोधन के लिए सरकार की पूर्व अनुमति की आवश्यकता होती है, जबकि यहां हम पाते हैं कि सरकार स्वयं पेंशन संशोधन की अपरिहार्यता को लेकर अपना दृष्टिकोण बैंकरों से साझा कर रही है। जो कार्य बैंकर्स का था कि वे पेंशन रिवीजन का प्रस्ताव सरकार के अनुमोदन के लिए भेजती, सरकार कह रही है कि बैंक पेंशनरों की पेंशन रिवाइज करना जरूरी है। लेकिन, बैंकर्स इस पर चुप्पी साधे बैठे हैं।
यह तो सरकार को ही देखना है कि बैंकों का स्वामी और नौकर कौन है। लेकिन, जो व्यवहार दिख रहा है, उससे जाहिर होता है कि नौकर मालिक के जूते में पांव डाल रहा है। यह यूनीक स्थिति है। हम नहीं समझ पा रहे हैं कि माननीय वित्तमंत्री ऐसा क्यों होने दे रहीं है और वर्षों के कठिन परिश्रम और ईमानदारी से बनाई अपनी आइकॉनिक छबि को धूमिल होनें दे रही हैं।
चूंकि सवाल सरकार की नीति, रीति, बयान और मंशा से जुड़ा है, जो सार्वजनिक तौर पर माननीय वित्तमंत्री के कदमों से जाहिर हो चुका है, अब सवाल सरकार की विश्वसनीयता से जुड़ गया है। बैंक पेंशनरों के साथ न्याय होगा, जिसकी वकालत माननीय वित्तमंत्री ने किया है या बैंकरों/ आईबीए कार्यपालकों की हठधर्मी और मनमानी चलेगी। स्पष्ट शब्दों में: वित्तमंत्री की चलेगी या फिर बैंकों/आईबीए के मातहतों की चलेगी, जो शिर्फ सरकार के नौकर हैं?
आशा करते हैं, सरकार इस स्थिति को गंभीरता से लेते बैंक पेंशनरों के 30 वर्षों से लंबित पेंशन रिवीजन प्रकरण को तत्काल तय करेगी।
सादर विनीत,
(जे.एन.शुक्ला)
नेशनल कंवेनर
15.02.2022
फोरम आफ बैंक पेंशनर एक्टिविस्टस्
Forum of Bank Pensioner Activists
PRAYAGRAJ
न त्वहं कामये राज्यं न स्वर्गं नापुनर्भवम्।
कामये दुःखतप्तानां प्रणिनामार्तिनाशनम्॥
हिमालयं समारभ्य, यावत् इंदु सरोवरम्।
तं देवनिर्मितं देशं, हिन्दुस्तानं प्रचक्षते।।
Sri Narendra Modi ji,
Hon'ble Prime Minister
Govt of India
New Delhi
Respected Prime Minister,
We want permission to say something. The question is, will the government or the servants rule? The Government should decide, whether the statement or advice of Hon'ble Finance Minister has any importance or not? For the last 14 months, the Bank pensioners, convinced by the steps taken by Hon'ble Finance Minister, are now disappointed. This does not match at all with the words and deeds of the government, so more than 5 lakh senior pensioners are now upset.
Having heard and noted the views expressed twice in the same context by none other than the Finance Minister of the Government of India, Bank Pensioners, have been waiting, stucking their eyes & ears to listen good news for the last fourteen long months.
The Bank Pensioners took the statement of the Finance Minister as the official statement of the Government of India, because the Finance Minister had expressed her views on both the occasions in her official capacity as the Finance Minister and not as the individual Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman. Thus, the official govt statements can neither be baseless nor false.
The lack of follow up action or compliance on any statement of the Finance Minister for so long, raises questions on the credibility of the Government. It is yet to be known whether Bankers, IBA, Banking Secretary are doing this on their own behalf or they are doing so under pressure from Unions. And, if there is such a delay under the pressure of Inions, then why is the Honorable Finance Minister silent that raises a question mark on the credibility of the government? Come, let us review it once when and what the Honorable Finance Minister said in Bank Pensioners issues:
1. 30.10.2020 FM's Interview
Featured in Business Line:
"I cannot answer any question on Banking Sector without beginning it with a big thanks to all of them for the way which they sat with dedication.
"Today I had a meeting with newly appointed SBI Chairman Dinesh Kumar Khara. One of the questions that I asked he may or may not be directly involved into it, but as a bug brother among all the Banks, he should be talking to IBA to sort out issues related with Bank employees, their pension, family pension and pensions yo those who retired long time ago whose pension does not commensurate with the pension of equal rank. So, that is something, I am putting all my energy to make sure. I am communicating with IBA. Secretary (Banking) is also working with them. I told Dinesh Khara that this is something, I am very keen, I want bank employees to ve given their dues. A lot of Pensioners are waiting for very long time.
"Yesterday I had meeting with Raj kiran Rao of IBA. I spoke to him too. We need bank employees to be attended too, particularly their families and the pension of retired employees too. Pension matter, staff welfare, these are the issues on which I am definitely concerned."
Hon'ble Finance Minister said, "I am putting all my efforts to ensure this. I am in talks with IBA. Banking Secretary is also working with them. Further she said, "Pension, staff welfare are the issues on which I am definitely concerned." She did not say this on any compulsion or on gun point, but after considering the seriousness of the subjects, she thought it appropriate, then said.
2. 10.11.2029 FM's Key Note
Address in AGM of IBA:
"... one of them, after all is the very particular case, sir, being part off Banks. Post retirement, sir, they can't be forgotten, post retirement they can't be left to depend themselves. I think it is important, as much important is customer is your exstaff, who have retired, who have now gone be with their families. Each one of them, they did the best when they were there. I am sure many if you be retired therefore we can't be treating retired differently.
"As a former Defense Minister one... message which I would share with you... Defense personally they treat the defense families as that one. When men are on border their family is taken care, when retired they are taken care of them as one family always... ex-service or service. Similarly I wish to see that culture in Banks so that all bank staff and their families are one and they are in service or retired, you will have to.. talk of them & share for them."
Exactly 10/11 days after the interview, the Hon'ble Finance Minister said, "After retirement, sir, he cannot be forgotten, post-retirement he cannot be left to depend on themself." She insisted, "I think your customer is as important as your ex-staff, who have retired and gone be with their family. Each one of them has done their best when they were." Putting forth her experience of Defense Minister, she said, just as there is a culture of welfare in defense regarding soldiers and their families, 'I want to see the same culture in banking, so that all bank staff and their families are in the same way after service and retirement. stay from. You have to talk about them and share with them."
In Govt at subordinate level, such apathy is unexpected. It doesn't happen. It's glaring instance of insubordination or in other words disobedience or flouting of government will and wish. We find no lacking at all on FM part in giving her view point and wish list as to what did she intend to do. As per BEPR, 1995, for any amendment in rules, Pension Govt's prior permission is required. Here, we find, govt itself taking lead & pushing it's view point about indispensability of pension revision. It's the job of the Bankers to send the proposal for pension revision to Govt for the approval. Here, the government is saying that it is necessary to revise the pension of bank pensioners, but the bankers are sitting silent on this. It is for the government to see who is the owner of Banks and who are just servants. But, the behavior that is apparently seen shows that the servants are in the role of the master and the master is in the role of the servants. It's unique situation. We are not able to understand why the Hon'ble Finance Minister is allowing this to happen and tarnishing her iconic image created by her hard & sincere work over years.
Since the question is related to the policy, manner, statement and intention of the government, which has been publicly displayed from the steps of the Hon'ble Finance Minister, now the question is related to the credibility of the government. Will the justice be done to bank pensioners, which has been advocated by the Hon'ble Finance Minister or the fanaticism and arbitrariness of bankers/IBA executives will prevail? Simply put: Will the Finance Minister prevail or the subordinates of Banks/IBAs, who are only government servants?
Hopefully, the government will take this situation seriously and immediately decide the pension revision case of bank pensioners pending for 30 years.
J. N. Shukla
15.01.2022
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